


No Good Deed

by TestyCanadian



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Gaku Has a Heart and that Gets Him into Trouble, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Trouble Being Two Twins, Weird Nobility
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-06-26 04:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15655953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TestyCanadian/pseuds/TestyCanadian
Summary: Gaku is a proud Alpha of noble blood, but that doesn't mean he agrees with how things are done among the peerage. He especially doesn't agree with the King's practice of scooping up rare male Omegas as soon as they present and then forcing them to pick a mate. But when a pair of twin male Omegas (something completely unheard) are brought into the Palace to find a mate, Gaku can't help but be intrigued. However, intrigue quickly turns to worry as he sees them start to buckle under the stress.When push comes to shove, Gaku will have to decide whether it's worth it to play the game he so despises for the good of the ones who've won his heart.





	1. Chapter 1

Marquis Gaku Yaotome, only son and heir to Duke Sousuke Yaotome, glared daggers at the newspaper in his hands, as if his gaze alone could set the object of his annoyance ablaze. If only the newspaper were the source of his ire, he could just crumple the thing up and toss it in the trash! Alas, it was something far harder to dispose of that was raising his hackles: gossip.

 

He could hear the two noblemen at the next table whispering furiously to each other. To think, a couple of distinguished Earls could be reduced to twittering schoolgirls by the latest juicy rumors floating around the Capital Palace. The “latest” rumors weren’t even anything new either! It was the same story Gaku had heard every morning for the past month.

 

The King’s wards had once again rejected every suitor brought before them yesterday.

 

Gaku would admit when he had first heard about them he had been mildly intrigued. It wasn’t every day you heard about a set of twins both presenting as fertile Omegas, it was the first time anyone had heard of it actually. Such rare creatures were of course taken in by His Majesty as soon as they were identified. The pair were declared national treasures, under the King’s protection as his wards. Any other Alpha ruler would have added them to their own personal harem, but the current King was of a particularly galant nature. He had only ever taken one mate and had one beta child who he adored, much to the scandal and grumbling of the peerage at large and Gaku’s father in particular. However His Majesty was still quick to take in any young Omega “in need”, particularly rare male Omegas, and take them under his wing until they were mated.

 

These two Omegas, if the rumors were to be believed, were held particularly high in His Majesty favor. The King hadn't showed so much fondness for one of his wards since the venerable Ousaka Sougo of two years prior. And like Ousaka-kun, the twin Omegas were proving to be damn near impossible to court. Though their beauty was lauded as breath-taking and their position as treasured wards of the King granted both boys the title of Duke, no Alpha brought before them had even managed to approach their seats. Therein lay the problem, while their looks and status were above all others, their attitudes were quickly becoming infamous. His Majesty’s fondness for problem children was at this point, well documented.

 

Omegas under the King’s protection were only released from it once they entered into a courtship with an Alpha to be mated. The twins agreed to these terms when they were taken to the palace by the King’s own personal knight, apparently from a rather rough family situation, but Gaku didn’t know how much credence he gave to those rumors. So every day, right after dawn, the two boys were trussed up in the finest clothes, showered in jewelry, painted like a pair of porcelain dolls, and then paraded through the halls of the Capital Palace to a receiving room. There they would spend their day having “dates” with any noble Alpha who thought themselves worthy of a pair of such rare gems.

 

Gaku snorted at the thought, apparently  _noble_ did not equal _worthy_ in the eyes of the pair of common born sixteen year olds. He couldn’t really blame them, personally, Gaku couldn’t even imagine the kind of stress they were under. The practice of scooping up rare male Omegas right when they presented at sixteen and forcing them into a courtship so young had always left a bad taste in his mouth. Almost as bad a taste as he got from the supposedly grown men chattering on like monkeys about who they thought would be able to mate the prickly pair.

 

And they _were_ to be mated as a pair, the King had been very clear on that when he had announced their debut. The two were linked, bonded in a way only twins can be, and under no circumstances were they to be separated by being courted by different Alphas. There had been many whispers as to what that bond could be, but for the most part the greedy and status-hungry Alpha nobleman had seen it as a boon. Why split your luck between either eligible young Omega when you can have two for the price of one? Plus with the added benefit of them both now being Dukes, any Alpha of Noble birth would find themselves rocketed up the line of succession for the throne. That fact alone was enough to get Gaku’s father on his back about trying his luck.

 

The thought of his father had Gaku losing the last bit of his appetite. He forcefully folded up his newspaper and stood up from his chair, swiping up his lukewarm coffee from the table on the way out of his personal favorite of the Capitol’s in-house cafes. He sighed in disappointment at his now-soured morning and made his way through the halls of the Palace to his office in Duke Yaotome’s department. His job was mostly bureaucratic, working with other Dukes' committees and dealing with constitutes, but it was good practice for when he would inherit his father’s title and take over as Duke. He hadn’t always wanted to do it, considering the volatile relationship he and his father had when he was a child, but as he’d gotten older he had seen how he could do more good if he went along with his father’s plan then if he rebelled against it. Sure he had to deal with the Duke’s scheming, and their polarizing political views often led to shouting matches, but once Gaku was Duke he could do whatever he wanted. He didn’t have to be a backstabbing bureaucrat like his father, he could actually help people with his position.

 

Gaku was shaken from his wistful revelry of what he would do by the sharp clacking of several high-heeled shoes. He looked down the hall to see what was now becoming a daily sight for him. The retinue of guards and caretakers in charge of the King’s cherished wards escorting them to their receiving room. Gaku took the last few steps to the door that led to his department and then leaned against the wall to finish drinking his coffee and watch the spectacle. He was, as usual, about 15 minutes early for work and instead of getting a head start on whatever headache his father had left in his inbox that day, Gaku had taken to observing the pair of illusive Omegas. Duke Yaotome’s offices just happened to be directly across from the re-purposed tea room being used for the twins’ receiving room, perfectly placed for Gaku’s daily dose of people watching.

 

While Gaku had his doubts about many of the rumors making the rounds of the Palace’s gossip mill, there was one he himself could confirm. The twins’ beauty was truly unmatched. They were positively ethereal, like a pair of angels, both equal and opposite in appearance, creating a type of sublime symmetry. The paler of the two had hair of the lightest shade of pink, soft and silky, it curled around his cheeks and chin in elegant waves, framing rose petal lips and inquisitive fuchsia eyes. He held an air of refined elegance and intelligence about him that one wouldn’t expect from someone of common birth. His face was always a mask of indifference, except when it was turned on his brother where it never failed to morph into a tender smile. The brighter boy, object of the pale one’s unwavering affection, was the opposite of his brother. From his fluffy vermilion locks to his large honest eyes, he was a vision of youthful innocence and joy. When he smiled, the world smiled with him. He was like the shining sun itself, and his twin the luminescent moon. Opposites but equals, complementary and incomparable, Gaku found himself transfixed by them every time.

 

Today was turning out to be just like all the other days before it. Gaku watched the pair of angels being led, like lambs to the slaughter, to their room for another day of fielding various Alpha’s advances. While their beauty could still knock Gaku off his feet, he’d noticed something change in the two boys over the last week or so. They had begun to look more tired, almost sickly, like flowers wilting in a drought. Their previous lively smiles had faded to wan grins shared between themselves and there were bags under their eyes so dark that not even all the powder the handmaidens caked onto their faces could completely cover them. Their movements were sluggish and their hands seemed shaky. They willingly walked to their duty each morning, but to Gaku it seemed to tax them more and more each day. Was the constant barrage of suitors finally taking its toll? They were just sixteen after all and they’d only just recently presented, their bodies must be a jumbled mess of Omega hormones and puberty. Gaku felt his heart twinge for them a little bit.

 

He shook his head at that, downing the rest of his coffee in an attempt to shock his mind out of such thoughts. That was merely his Alpha instincts talking. His inner beast perceived two eligible young Omegas in need and wanted to jump to their rescue. But Gaku was a man, more than that he was a Marquis, he had a rational mind that knew for sure that those boys were in the best possible hands. Gaku tossed his empty coffee cup into the trash and tried to turn his thoughts to what he had to get done that day. Just as he was pulling open the door to his department, a sudden movement caught his eye.

 

It seemed that one of the Omega’s minders had accosted the boys right next to the check-in desk at the door of their tea room. She had a basket of breakfast pastries hanging from her left arm while her right hand was occupied with shoving a donut into the resisting hands of the redheaded twin. The Omega’s face took on a sickly tinge and he weakly pushed the insistent caretaker’s hands away.

 

“You love donuts! You said so yourselves you infuriating brats!” The woman squawked, probably louder than she intended if Gaku had to guess, “Just eat the damn thing.”

 

The redhead flinched at the woman’s voice and skittishly ducked behind his brother. Gaku felt something well up inside him, a need to protect powerful enough to have him letting go of his office’s door and start taking slow deliberate strides across the hall toward the Omegas and their entourage. Gaku watched the pale twin glare daggers at the caretaker with the basket and shook his head, pushing his brother through the large double doors of the receiving room before slamming them in the woman’s face.

 

“Why those ungrateful little…” The woman sputtered red faced, before turning on her heels and marching down the hall past Gaku muttering, “Fine then, don’t eat breakfast, AGAIN! See if I care!”

 

A pit dropped into Gaku’s stomach. They hadn’t eaten breakfast that day? They hadn’t _been_ eating breakfast for who-knows-how-many days and yet they were still being made to meet suitors? Did the King know about this? Surely not! There’s no way he would allow such a thing to continue had he known, right? But then why hadn’t anyone informed him? Why were the twins refusing breakfast in the first place? The whole situation was a mess and it had Gaku’s inner Alpha roiling in displeasure.

 

“Oh Lord Yaotome, what a surprise,” A friendly voice said courteously, startling Gaku out of the growing storm of irritation his Alpha was stirring up inside of him. He blinked foolishly at the happy face of one of the guards at the check-in desk. The guard just smiled, unperturbed, and continued, “Always good to see you, of course. Anything I can help you with today?”

 

“Are there any open slots today?” Gaku asked, much to his own surprise, “How booked are they?”

 

“Oh the boys? Well they’re pretty full today, after the first few week of rejections it seems to have become some sort of dare among the Alphas around here to test their luck,” The guard said with a sigh, smile falling into a disappointed grimace, “The only opening they have is at noon. I suppose no one wants to give up their lunch break just to--”

 

“I’ll take it,” Gaku said quickly, making the guard raise his eyebrows in surprise. Gaku cleared his throat, blushing in embarrassment at his brashness, and then tried again, “Their open slot, I’d like to request it please.”

 

“Well if you’re sure, Lord Yaotome,” The guard said hesitantly, handing a pen and a clipboard with the necessary application form to Gaku’s shaking hands, “You certainly meet His Majesty’s requirements to try courting his wards. Though I must say this comes as a bit of a surprise, I thought you weren’t interested in courting anyone before you became Duke?”

 

“Special circumstances lead to special exceptions,” Gaku said, hoping the vagueness would cover the fact that he had no idea what he was doing. He watched his hand sign his name on the application as if it belonged to someone else and gave it back to the guard.

 

“Well if these boys are anything, it’s special,” The guard said with a thoughtful nod, “I look forward to seeing you later then, Lord Yaotome.”

 

Gaku nodded stiffly to the guard before turning on his heel and making a beeline to the door to his department. He bypassed his secretary, going straight into his office and closing the door behind him. He dropped into his chair and put his head in his hands. What the hell was that?! What had he just done?! He could have just sent an email to the King or something if he had a concern about his wards, why on earth had he volunteered to a courting appointment?!

 

But deep down Gaku knew the answer to that. The looks on those boys’ faces, seeing them getting paler and gaunter and sadder each morning, and now knowing they haven’t been eating. Gaku could never let that stand, knowing that he could help. He couldn’t just push the responsibility off on someone else and hope for the best. It wasn’t right. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he knowingly let those boys suffer and didn’t at least _try_ to do something about it.

 

So for the rest of the morning Gaku planned. He knew if he wanted to clear his conscience and calm his Alpha then he had to see those boys eat with his own two eyes. He also knew that so far no one had even made it to the tea table in their room without being kicked out with a good deal of growls and hissing. He wouldn’t get anywhere with Alpha bravado or false sweetness. He had to enter the situation with pure intent, no doubt the two Omegas would be overwhelmed and on guard. Gaku just had to focus on the fact that he wasn’t there to court them, he just wanted to make sure they were alright. Hopefully that fact would be enough to get him through the door and from there he could move onto the next part of his plan.

 

When the clock above his office door showed 11:50am, Gaku rose from his seat. He straightened his clothes and ran a hand through his hair, trying to make himself look as presentable as possible. Then he set his shoulders and walked out of the office. His secretary stared at him, eyes wide, as he wished her a good afternoon and moved past her desk and towards the door to that led out of the department. He took a steadying breath and then opened it, exiting out into the hall. The guard stationed at the check-in desk perked up when he saw him and waved merrily at him. Gaku nodded in greeting and hurried over to the desk.

 

“Lord Yaotome, you’re early,” The guard said with a knowing grin, checking Gaku’s name off the attendance list and handing him another release form to sign, “That’s a good sign. Being punctual will at least start you off on Tenn-sama’s good side, he detests lateness.”

 

“It’s just common courtesy,” Gaku said graciously, trying to keep the nerves out of his voice as he finished his signature with a flourish, “I would do the same for a meeting with any other Duke.”

 

“Right, of course,” The guard said grin widening. He stood from his seat and retrieved a large ornate key from his belt, gesturing Gaku forward toward the doors to the tea room, “Well, if you’re ready, Lord Yaotome?”

 

Gaku swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling very dry, but stepped up to the doors. The guard nodded and turned the key in the lock. With a large clank, the doors cracked open and dappled sunlight spilled out from within.

 

“I wish you all the luck, Sir,” The guard whispered before pushing the doors open and announcing to the room, “May I present Marquis Gaku Yaotome, to court His Majesty’s most honorable Omega wards.”

 

This was it. No going back now.

 

With one last steadying breath, Gaku stepped out of the hallway and right into the lion’s den.


	2. Chapter 2

It was near silent in the room when Gaku took the two steps necessary to pass through the doors and into the threshold of the room. The doors shut with a deafening finality, and Gaku had to calm his racing heartbeat. He took a minute to compose himself and properly take in his surroundings. His Alpha would feel more relaxed if it felt like it was in control of the situation, and he didn’t want his jumpiness to scare the twins.

 

The interior of the receiving room was just as lavish as any of the common meeting rooms in the Capital Palace, with the exquisitely detailed carpets on the floor and tapestries on the walls. The walls were lined with floor the ceiling arched windows that looked out on one of the many inner courtyard gardens the late Queen had been so fond of, large semi-transparent drapes softening the influx of natural light into a calming dapple of sunshine over everything. However, where once the tea room had been scattered with many chairs and tables for the various Noblemen and Senators to relax and chat, there was now just empty space. There was only one set of furniture still left in the room; it consisted of a single round table and two places to sit. On one side of the table was a large comfortable looking armchair, its red velvet upholstery and firm-but-not-too-firm cushion giving off an inviting air to the type of Alpha who liked to feel in charge of a situation. Situated on the opposite side of the table was a lush crimson settee covered with plump looking throw pillows at either armrest. In the center of the couch sat the objects of Gaku’s mission.

 

The Omega twins huddled together in the middle of the nest of pillows, the bright one slightly hidden behind the pale one. They were draped in shimmering silk furisode, the long sleeves trailing down over their laps, the patterns of rare colorful flowers glinting in the shifting sunlight. Their heads were decorated in glittering jeweled kanzashi, the tails of which mingled with the longer strands of their hair and shifted teasingly with every move they made. They looked positively resplendent, or at least they did until Gaku got a better look at their faces.

 

While their clothing was luxurious and their surroundings were pleasant, it was obvious the two boys were suffering. Gaku could see it now much better than he could from his usual distant observance, and what he witnessed caused his blood to boil. The boys had obviously lost weight since they had arrived at the Palace, a strange fact considering that most Omegas brought into the King’s household usually gained weight from all the excess food and comfort he showered them with. There were bruises from sleeplessness under their eyes that couldn’t be hidden, even with the help of all the powders and creams the handmaidens had obviously caked on to beautify them for their potential suitors.

 

Worst of all were their tired eyes that held such apprehension, almost fear, for the man that had just entered their room that Gaku’s inner Alpha was once again ignited with indignant rage. Just what had those other Alphas been doing to these poor boys?! There was no reason courting Omegas should _fear_ their suitors! Whatever it was, Gaku was stopping it right that minute. He’d show these twins what they should be able to expect from a good, well-mannered Alpha come to seek their hand. He would make sure they ate so that his own Alpha would be appeased, and after that was all done and settled he would write a message to the King to make sure whatever was going on would cease immediately so the poor things could find themselves a proper mate.

 

First things first though, and that was for him to actually enter into the room proper.

 

Gaku focused in on the twins and waited for a sign that they wanted him to come closer. This was their room, their territory, and Gaku wasn’t going another step farther until they invited him. The Alpha watched as identical sets of nostrils flared as the twins scented the air, trying to decide if he was safe. The pale one eyed him critically, looking him up and down with those penetrating fuchsia orbs, trying to find any indication of flaw or ill-will. Gaku resisted the urge to sigh in relief when, after the Omega found nothing immediately at fault with him, he saw the boy’s thin shoulders lose some of their weary stiffness. The bright one peaked his head up a little more over his brother’s shoulder, his wide scarlet irises sparkling like stars in the midday sun. He blinked a few times, like he wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing, and tilted his head curiously. Gaku couldn’t help but be reminded of a puppy he’d had as a child. The Alpha remained still, not wanting to break the tension, but these curious looks were far better than the fear he’d seen before. He decided to take the chance and straightened himself up to speak.

 

"My name is Gaku Yaotome," He said in a soft but clear voice, politely bowing to them at the waist. He hears a gasp followed by a giggle like tinkling bells and a gentle shushing in admonishment. Feeling emboldened, Gaku lifted himself up out of the bow and nodded to the paler twin, "It is an honor to make your acquaintances."

 

There was a tense beat of silence, and then the pale twin cleared his throat.

 

"I am Tenn Nanase” The boy nodded at him cordially before holding a hand up to gesture to the redhead still clinging to his back, “And this is my younger brother Riku Nanase. We are pleased to meet you, Alpha Yaotome."  

 

“The pleasure is all mine,” Gaku said, smiling at the small wave Riku gave him as a greeting, “Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice. I’m sorry if it has caused you any inconvenience.”

 

“It was no problem at all, Yaotome-san,” Tenn said primly, carefully folding his hands in his lap with all the grace and poise one could wish of a high class Omega, “Our original noontime appointment cancelled very last minute, frankly you are doing us quite the service by filling in the spot.”

 

Gaku could tell there was something else to that statement, something hidden that Tenn didn’t want to voice. It wasn’t that he could tell that Tenn was lying, the elder twin was far to nimble with his words to let something slip, however his brother was another story. Riku wilted when their previous engagement was mentioned, his sweet yet hesitant smile falling into a disappointed frown full of self-loathing. Gaku could practically smell the deprecation oozing into the young one’s thoughts from where he stood.

 

“Then it is their infinite loss of such an opportunity to meet with the two of you,” Gaku said, voice ringing with the air of aristocratic certainty honed by his time dealing with the Senate, “But of course I can only thank them for unknowingly giving me the gift of your audience.”

 

Both twins blinked at him in bewilderment, mouths going slack at what they’d just heard. Gaku was feeling confused himself, sure he’d laid it on bit thick but he knew there was no way he could be any worse than the other pompous Alphas who had tried their luck? Surely these boys must be used to ridiculous compliments after a month of suitors being paraded in front of them every hour on the hour? So why the confounded stares?

 

Meanwhile on the other side of the room, the eldest Omega’s mind was swirling with a puzzling blur of thoughts and emotions. On one hand he was happy that so far this Gaku Yaotome character had stayed well within the threshold of the room’s entrance. All of the other Alphas the guard had brought before them had been too pushy and brash, strutting their way in like peacocks on the prowl. Not one had even given the twins a chance to scent them before they were invading the brother's space and flooding the air with their disgusting Alpha stench. Such disrespect was met with immediate recourse from Tenn.

 

Tenn wasn’t ashamed to admit he was a protective older brother, anyone would be if their baby brother was even half as wonderful as Riku, but even he could see that since he had both presented he may have gotten a bit _over_ protective. But he couldn’t help himself! His instincts had been all over the place ever since his Omega had burst into being. His brain was telling him all sorts of ridiculous things every minute of the day, not the least of which was to take his sweet sensitive Riku and hide them both away until they were more sound of mind and body to start looking for worthy Alphas.

 

However, he knew whatever he was feeling from his Omega instincts was dwarfed by what was going on with his twin’s. Riku had always been sensitive, in every sense of the word. Not only was he kind, with a sweet gentle demeanor and unending empathy for the the people around him that had Tenn constantly worried for his brother’s fragile heart; But he was also incredibly delicate of body. Riku had been born sickly, with a respiratory weakness that he struggled with even into their teenage years. This weakness had bloomed into a very particular sensitivity to scents when the redhead had come into his Omega. He was acutely aware of Alpha pheromones, and they affected him much more strongly than they did Tenn. Riku could tell within one sniff whether or not he would be compatible with an Alpha, and if Riku wasn’t compatible then Tenn most certainly wouldn’t be either. Riku was far too nice to say anything though, even if some Alpha’s scents were so abhorrent they caused him physical pain. As such any Alpha that wanted to get within a meter of Riku, first had to get through Tenn.

 

Luckily for them, this Alpha seemed to be different from the rest.

 

Unlike the Alpha’s that had come before him, Gaku Yaotome was not blasting his scent at them like some kind of animal trying to mark its territory. He was not barging forward into their space like a conquering general, intent on forcing his affections on them. He had instead greeted them as equals, even bowed respectfully, and calmly waited for them to set their boundaries before he moved forward. How nice of their caretakers to finally send them a suitor with decent manners. Did they think that just because he and Riku weren’t highborn nobles that they wouldn’t know how Omegas were supposed to be treated? Honestly, Tenn had had just about enough of the people the king had put in charge of them while he and his daughter were busy during the day. They didn’t listen to a thing the twins said and treated them like unintelligent burdens.

 

But this wasn’t the time to dwell on things he couldn’t change. Right now he had to make a decision about this Alpha that had come to try his hand. After giving him a once over, Tenn would concede he wasn’t disgusting to look at; more than he could say for _some_ of the people that had come to seek the twins’ hand. His scent was also acceptable, at least from what Tenn could tell of it from a distance. Gaku was obviously making an effort to keep his scent mild and unassuming to give the boys time to get used to him. Tenn grudgingly had to admit to himself that for the first time he found this Alpha adequate to move on to the next part of their “date”.

 

Still, Gaku Yaotome wouldn’t be taking another step until Riku said it was okay. Of that, Tenn was absolutely certain.

 

So far his younger brother hadn’t given him a sign in either direction. Though Tenn was so used to the immediate backlash of him _not_ wanting an Alpha to come closer, and then that same Alpha forcing their way in like a self-entitled beast, that the older twin was perhaps unaccustomed to what his brother accepting an Alpha would look like. Tenn turned his head slightly, just enough that he could take in his twin while still keeping the strange Alpha in his sights.

 

Riku seemed fine from what Tenn could tell. Sure he was still huddled behind Tenn, clinging to his brother’s back like a baby koala, but his fingers were curled loosely in the silk of Tenn’s kimono instead of clenched tightly with fear. Wide crimson eyes gaze curiously at the Alpha from Riku’s perch at Tenn’s shoulder. His chest rose and fell steadily, breaths deep and easy with no sign of struggle or stress despite the little flickerings of his nostrils which showed he was still scenting Gaku Yaotome. For once Riku didn’t look terrified of the Alpha that had intruded upon their room. In fact, between the small smile and light dusting of pink over his cheeks, he was the picture of a shy child meeting a new person. Tenn watched in amazement as the Alpha returned Riku’s hesitant expression with a warm smile of his own, making Riku duck down behind Tenn with a giddy giggle.

 

Tenn placed a hand on Riku’s knee and waited for his twin to acknowledge him. Riku took a minute, most likely trying to calm the blush that had bloomed like roses in his cheeks, but eventually he raised his head to look at his brother. Tenn tilted his head almost imperceptibly towards where Gaku stood and made a soft questioning noise in his throat. Riku locked ruby red eyes with Tenn’s own magenta orbs for a tense moment before twining their fingers together and pressing his forehead to Tenn’s collarbone. Tenn felt his heart stutter in his chest and butterflies fill his stomach.

 

After a whole month of turning down Alphas, he wasn’t sure what to do with one that they actually might like.

 

Tenn set his shoulders, trying to give off an ease of confidence he didn’t truly feel. He raised his chin and looked down his nose at this Alpha who had entered their domain and somehow won over his brother's finicky Omega senses.

 

"Yaotome-san?" Tenn asked cautiously, voice wobbling with nervousness. He cleared his throat and held out one shaky hand, gesturing to the chair that sat opposite their tea table, "W...Would you like to come sit down?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaku starts his quest to get these twins to eat and Tenn is surprisingly impressed with him. But do you think Gaku has what it takes to make it through the whole date?


	3. Chapter 3

Gaku felt like the wind had been knocked right out of him. Had he heard the older twin correctly? Had Tenn really invited him to join them at their table? It couldn’t be that easy, could it? With all the rumors floating around about the pale omega’s violent temper, Gaku had expected to be standing by the door for most of his appointment, if he ever got to the table at all, but here he was being beckoned over not a few minutes after entering. Was it a trick? Maybe some sort of test? 

 

The Marquis looked over the boy’s heads to where one of their attendants stood waiting with their back against the wall, searching for some sort of explanation to this sudden about-face of disposition. Unfortunately for Gaku, the attendant seemed even more surprised than he did about Tenn’s proposition. In fact the young maid was looking at him as if he had just walk across a river without getting wet. Apparently it wasn’t just Gaku who was shocked by Tenn’s offer.

 

"A-are you sure?" The silver haired alpha stuttered out. His suave persona had been thrown off by the strange turn of events, but he still wanted let Tenn know that he wouldn’t enter the Omegas’ space without their complete consent. 

 

"Well if you don't want to--" Tenn started to say, turning his nose up in huffy displeasure.   
  


"NO!” Gaku quickly interjected, not wanting the boy to get the wrong idea “No of course I want to join you! I just don't want to make you uncomfortable--"   
  


"I invited you didn't I?!" Tenn shot back just as quickly, cheeks flushing pink in either frustration or bashfulness, Gaku wasn’t sure which. 

 

This was bad. Apparently the whispers of Tenn’s temper hadn’t been wrong, after all. And just when Gaku had somehow gotten on the older twin’s good side, he went and screwed it up. He was going to have to think of something fast to re-ingratiate himself to the boy if he ever wanted to get the Omegas to eat something. Luckily he found help in the most unlikely of sources.

 

Tenn and Gaku’s staring match was interrupted by a tinkling waterfall of giggles. A blushing, smiling, face hooked over one of Tenn’s shoulders and a single delicate hand tangled fingers with Tenn’s own. Immediately all the tension bled out of the pale boy’s form. He huffed a sigh through his nose and broke eye contact with Gaku, turning his gaze onto his brother with the faintest hint of a pout on his lips. Gaku internally grinned at the unexpectedly cute display but was quickly distracted by the younger twin addressing him directly for the first time.

 

"Thank you for your concern, Yaotome-san, but we're not uncomfortable." Riku murmured quietly, making fleeting eye contact with Gaku before looking down shyly at his lap, "Would you like to come sit down? It might be nice to have a conversation with someone new after just talking to the same people everyday"

 

There was no way Gaku could say no to such an innocent invitation, especially when the two Omega’s were giving him a chance they had yet to give any other. He would not betray the little amount of trust they had extended him by balking at their request. So Gaku took a steadying a breath, set his shoulders in a relaxed stance, and took a few steps closer to the twins. He watched them carefully, mindful of their body language, not wanting to push them more than what they actually felt comfortable with. The twins however seemed to be perfectly content to let Gaku approach them at his own pace. They leaned against each other, shoulder to shoulder, and waited for Gaku to reach their table. The Alpha felt encouraged by how well the whole meeting was going, how easily his plan was coming to fruition, until he was just a few steps away from where the twins sat.

 

That was when the scent hit him.

 

Oh dear gods! How?! How could these boys smell so divine?! No wonder all those other Alpha’s had been salivating like dogs over them! These two Omegas smelled better than anything Gaku had ever scented in his entire life. Their scents, like their looks, were opposites that complimented each other perfectly. There were light sweet notes mingling freely with sharp tangy fragrances, swirling and blending into a cocktail of such heady euphoria that Gaku was practically dizzy with it. The delectable aroma wrapped around the twins in a protective cocoon, surrounding them and tying them together. It made sense to Gaku just then, why no one had tried to separate the two when they had been discovered. Their scents were so bound together that there was no knowing where one ended and the other began. They were truly a perfect bonded pair.

 

Gaku opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them, and blinked blearily at the Omegas. The previously relaxed Omegas had shifted away from him, now staring up at him in cautious defense. Tenn had turned his shoulders so his back faced Gaku, his younger brother clutched protectively to his chest. Riku’s face was buried in Tenn’s neck, the only thing visible were his eyes gazing up apprehensively from under his shock of crimson hair. The silver-haired Alpha’s eyes dragged down their huddled forms to find their hands clasped together in identical white-knuckled grips. Gaku inhaled sharply through his nose, taking in another wafting whiff of the delectable scent, now tinged with the biting bitterness of fear. 

 

Gaku’s eyes widened and he took one stumbling step backwards, ankle almost giving out in his surprise. There was a shift of movement, made more noticeable to him from his Alpha senses running amok with the potent smell of Omega so close, and Gaku whipped his head around to see the threat. The Omega’s minder, the young maid by the wall, had stiffened with her hand on a pendant around her neck. It glowed slightly under the sunlight in a way that Gaku knew that it was an alert button in disguise. To her left one of the palace guards gripped the hilt of his sword. Though mostly ceremonial, all the King’s Knights’ sabers were kept sharpened should the need to protect the royal family arise.

 

Did they see him as a threat? But he would never hurt the boys! Such a thing was unthinkable! The only reason he was here in there in the first place was because he wanted to help them. But looking over the subtly shivering forms of the two Omegas in front of him, it occured to Gaku that they didn’t know his actual reason for being there. For all they knew, Gaku was here to pursue them, to mate them and make them his by whatever means he could. It was entirely possible that, when faced with their irresistibly alluring scent, the Alphas before him could have lost control of themselves and lashed out at the twins. 

 

Gaku’s heart sunk into his stomach, mind immediately sobering at the thought of these two suffering even more than they already had. The Alpha took a shuddering breath and forcibly brought his raging instincts back into line. He couldn’t let such urges get in the way of his real goal; to make sure these boys ate something. With forced composure he locked eyes with the skittish twins and cleared his throat.

 

"I'm terribly sorry about that," Gaku said, the faint heat of a blush staining his cheeks as he nervously straightened his clothes, "I've been sitting for far too long today and I think my legs were still a bit asleep."

  
The Omegas blinked in confusion, thrown by Gaku’s sudden change in demeanor as well as his very obvious lie. Their dumbfounded expressions lasted only a moment before matching sighs of relief blew out of the boys’ mouths. Their tense bodies relaxed and Riku pulled away from his older brother’s embrace, sitting back against the nest of pillows with a mirthful sparkle in his eyes. Gaku tried to force a reassuring smile onto his face but he could tell from the wobbly pull at his cheeks that he was failing. Despite that, it seemed his efforts were not wasted. Riku’s face broke out in another of those dazzling sunshine smiles as he pulled up one ornate sleeve to cover the waterfall of giggles that poured out of him at the sight of Gaku’s odd expression. Tenn blushed and gently shushed his brother, scolding him without any heat. The older Omega locked gazes with Gaku and nodded to the chair opposite their table, giving the Alpha the much needed permission to continue his pursuit.

 

Gaku’s smile settled down into something a little more natural and he takes the last few steps over to the tea table. He lowers himself into the armchair and found it to be just as comfortable and lush as he had assumed it to be. He situated himself in a way that he know would make him look confident but not imposing to the two boys across from him; shoulders at rest, hands in his lap, legs resting with feet on the floor and knees just barely touching. It was body language that showed that Gaku was comfortable and in charge of himself but wasn’t aggressive in a way that implied he wanted to be in charge of  _ them.  _ Casual, positive, non threatening, everything he needed to be to incite trust in the two sensitive Omegas. He could tell it was working, too, as a new wave of ease bled into the enticing fragrance of the twins’ scents. Gaku bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from going giddy with it. Whoever was able to mate with these two was in for a real treat. No time to think about that now though, Gaku had work to do. 

 

It was time for the real start of his plan to commence.

 

"I’d like to thank you so much for having me," Gaku said with all the gentile and manners his father had ground into him since childhood, “It really is a pleasure to meet with you, Your Graces.”

 

“It really is no trouble at all, Yaotome-san,” Tenn said, smile going fond around the edges as he nodded to Gaku from across the table. Gaku found the picture he made all the nicer now that they sat eye to eye, “In fact, if I may speak frankly on the subject, we find your company far more pleasurable than that of many of our previous petitioners. We’re glad to have you.”

"That’s very kind of you,” Gaku nodded, “but having said that, I’d like to make a small request, if you would allow it.”

 

“A request?” Tenn asked suspiciously, expression hardening sternly as he searched Gaku’s face for any clue as to what the Alpha was planning, “And what kind of request might that be, Lord Yaotome?”

 

“I hate to impose " Gaku said, keeping his words light and articulate and in no way demanding, "But it is lunch time and I haven't eaten yet. I find a good conversation is always improved by a good meal. Would you do me the honor of dining with me while we have our chat?"

 

Both boys’ faces were once again awash in surprise. Gaku almost balked at the sheer amount of disregard the poor things must have experienced with the other suitors. Had no one else asked to dine with them? Was it not common courtesy to share a meal when taking a potential partner out on a date? Did those other Alphas think that just because these two were locked up in the King’s ivory tower, that they were somehow exempt from having to go through the proper courtship traditions? Gaku had to struggle to keep his irritation off his face and out of his scent, so as not to worry the twins. But he was now more certain than ever that after his little meeting with the Omega pair, he would be having words with the King about their situation. This could not go on. Gaku would not allow it.

 

Meanwhile, across the table, the twins were wrapped up in a silent conversation. Gaku watched as the communicated silently, in the way only close siblings could, with eyes and microexpressions. He waited with baited breath, as the firm lines of Tenn’s brow slowly relaxed at the imploring look in Riku’s eyes. The Alpha couldn't help but be charmed by how soft the older, more reserved, twin was for his younger brother. They truly had a very sweet dynamic and Gaku found himself wishing they had been able to go through courting the normal way. For them to have Alphas schoolmates vye for their hand and to go on dates to movies and amusement parks like any other teenagers got to do. It was sad they were forced to go through this pompous dog and pony show of the Peerage when they weren’t even born into it like Gaku was. There was no way for them to know what was to come, to prepare for the trials they were being pushed into all for the sake of outdated tradition. Gaku was once again hit with his ever recurring disdain for the Nobility. 

 

However, while Gaku had been stewing in his rage at the establishment, the twins had finished their deliberation. While Tenn had been a little suspicious, it was obvious that Riku had won out in the end. As Riku always won out in the end, whenever he really wanted something. Tenn could never deny him something his dearest little brother truly desired. Tenn let out a put upon sigh and waved down the maid that waited by the window.

 

“Excuse me, Miss,” He asked politely, “Would you mind some tea and sandwiches for us? I’d hate for Lord Yaotome to go hungry when he’s already taken time out of his day to meet with us.”

 

“O-of course!” The maid yelped, smiling wide in shocked happiness, “I mean yes, yes Your Grace. I will gladly bring you something to eat! Right away!”

 

She hurried away, practically running in her haste to get food from the kitchens right off the side of the tearoom. Gaku had a feeling that if he hadn’t been there, she might very well have been crying out in joy. Well at least he knew not all of the Omega’s minders were as acerbic as the one he saw that morning. But if the maids were that eager to get food into the two, than why were they slowly wasting away? A quick look over the two saw the familiar mix of worry and melancholy seeping back into their demeanor. But why? Why were they so disheartened at the thought of a simple lunch? What was so bad about tea and sandwiches? They could have whatever they liked to eat with a snap of their little fingers. It just wasn’t adding up to Gaku.

 

Mere minutes after the maid had left through the pair of swinging doors at the side of the room, she returned with two others of her ilk in tow. All three maids pushed carts ladened with shining silver plates piled high with a mouthwatering assortment of teatime treats. There was a three tiered platter of sandwiches made of every sort of lunchmeat imaginable, each cut into perfect triangles for easy handling. Another such tray was covered with a crowed of various little tea cakes, each a work of art in their own right, but together made a colorful mosaic of sugar and cream. There were also a few bowls of cut fruit, all painstakingly sliced into the shapes of flowers and covered in sweet sugar syrup. The piece de resistance of the whole affair was the tea set brought alone with the food. It was an exquisite hand-painted china set with a sakura design Gaku knew came from the late-Queen’s own personal collection. The tin with that held the loose tea also accompanied the tea set on its cart, the label boasting of a rich complex blend of several rare leaves that surely cost a fortune to acquire. 

 

Gaku almost whistled at the pure splendor of it all. The King certainly spared no expense when it came to his treasured wards. He felt the heavy beating of his heart slow to a more manageable rhythm when faced with the obvious care being showered on these boys. There was no doubt that the Omega’s caretakers were going above and beyond to give them the best money could provide, and the King surely must be signing off on it for so much of said money was being spent on a simple lunch. Maybe he had been overreacting this whole time. His Father often scolded him on his bleeding heart, perhaps it had gotten the better of him this time? After all how could the twins turn down a meal as decadent as the one that had been placed in front of them?

 

“I have to say, this is probably the best lunch I have been offered in a long time,” Gaku declared, running another appraising eye over the lavish meal, “I thank you again for your hospitality.”

 

A giddy warmth filled him as his inner Alpha preened, so happy to see the pretty Omega’s eat their fill. They’d fill their bellies and know that it was Gaku who had seen to their care and happiness. They’d see what a wonderful Mate he’d make for them, so strong and caring and ready to provide! But Gaku stamped down such ridiculous thoughts. It wouldn’t do to let such urges run amok. He didn’t really want to mate the boys, though they did smell divine. They deserved someone better than Gaku, someone who they chose and could in turn make them happy. But for the moment he was content to see Tenn and Riku eat something delicious that would bring a smile to their faces. After that his Alpha would be sated and he could take any further worries up with the King.

 

“Of course, Yaotome-san,” Tenn murmured, voice soft and demurred, suddenly missing that spark of fire Gaku had come to expect, “We wouldn’t want you to go hungry on our account.”

 

Gaku’s face shot up with a jolt, like ice water had been poured over his head when he hadn’t been looking. The twins looked over the smorgasbord of food with same wan forlorn look they had when entering their tearoom that morning. Tenn’s face was pale, his eyes taking on a kind of hallow wanting look as he gripped his hands, white-knuckled, in his lap. Riku had bypassed pale and gone straight to a tinge of green, hands resting over his stomach like it physically hurt him to look upon his lunch. Yet despite that, the redhead was practically drooling over the pastries just out of his reach. 

 

Just what was going on here?

 

Was it something wrong with the food? Gaku looked over everything once again, finding no possible fault with it. In fact the more he looked, the greater the quality of the offerings became. This was a meal quite literally fit for a King! Every last morsel was the most lavish, decadent, rich and extravagant version it could possibly be, down to the sugary syrup that covered the fruit. So what was the problem?!

 

Gaku was stumped, until a memory of an old conversation he’d had with his Mother occurred to him. She had mentioned something, when Gaku had first started helping her at her family’s soba shop to spite his Father, about the amount of young Omegas that came to the shop in the spring when presentation season started. The sicken realization of the true issue washed over and with it came a tempest of Alpha rage that Gaku had to fight to quell. The twins looked up in alarm as his, so far soothing and placid, scent turned dark with anger. But Gaku’s eyes weren’t on them. No, all of his fury was trained directly on the maid who had been trust with the care of the young, vulnerable, newly presented Omegas.

 

"Excuse me," He rumbled, voice seething with the quiet promise of the outraged squall swirling beneath his skin, "I'm afraid we have a problem."


	4. Chapter 4

Riku cuddled closer in to his brother’s side and buried his face into the elder’s shoulder, as he felt a shiver wrack through his whole body. The many layers of silk that made up the kimono he wore were certainly soft and comfortable, but they did little to quell the chill that had been with Riku ever since he had presented as an Omega. He knew that Tenn suffered from the same frozen feeling as well, though the older tried to hide it. They had been assured by one of the many Omega physicians that the King had assigned to them that such sensations were normal for new Omegas as a result of their changing body chemistry. The twins had been told that the cold would subside in a few days over two weeks ago, but if anything the icy tingle below their skin had only gotten worse with time. 

 

Tenn gave Riku’s hand a reassuring squeeze but didn’t take his eyes off of the Alpha that sat across the table from them. Marquis Yaotome was truly a change of pace from all the other hopeful Alphas that come to try their hands at wooing the twins. While all the rest had barged into their room, full of arrogance and stinking of proud Alpha pheromones, Gaku had waited for their permission to even take a step beyond the threshold. His scent was soft and soothing, it filled Riku up with a comforting warmth that dulled the frigid sting on his skin just a bit. The silver haired man had been kind and considerate to them, not to mention unerringly polite at every turn which Riku knew had placed him tenuously in his brother’s good graces. Tenn had become even more protective of his little brother after presenting though, so the fact that Gaku had even gotten any positive response out of the older twin was frankly astounding. But Riku could knew his brother well, he could tell that Tenn had more than a passing interest in getting to know this strange Alpha. Tenn  _ liked  _ this Gaku Yaotome.

 

Riku had been happy to have the Marquis sit at their table with them. He was thrilled that someone had finally come that his Tenn-nii might actually enjoy being with. Everything had been going wonderfully until Gaku had asked for something to eat. As soon as that happened, both twins had felt their guts turn in revolt. Just the thought of food had them feeling sickened to their cores. They hadn’t been able to stomach much more than broth and bread all week, and the prospect of trying to eat a heavy lunch while also sitting under the watchful eye of a strange Alpha was daunting at best. 

 

Despite all that, Riku really wanted this meeting to go well. This was the first time Tenn had actually  _ liked  _ one of their suitors! It was more than reasonable for Lord Yaotome to request some food considering he was giving up his lunch break to come see them. So what if Riku felt a little queasy at the thought of eating? That was no excuse to deprive the Alpha of a meal. But knowing Tenn, Riku feeling uncomfortable was, in fact, the most important reason not to approve the Alpha’s request. 

 

Riku looked up into his brother’s concerned eyes, frown-lines creasing their edges, and silently begged him to reconsider. He widened his gaze and let his lips quiver ever-so-slightly, looking for all the world like he was on the brink of tears. This was a low blow and Riku knew it, but if it was for his brother’s own good then he was willing to hit Tenn where it hurt. Tenn’s only true weakness was Riku’s puppy eyes. After a moment of silent standoff, Tenn sighed exasperatedly and relented. Riku carefully hid his victorious smile behind one of his flowing sleeves as the older twin asked their minder to bring out some tea and sandwiches. 

 

The look she gave them at Tenn’s request filled Riku with guilt. He knew that most of the maids and nurses that had been assigned to care for them were starting to worry about the twin’s weight loss and lack of appetite, but it wasn’t like they could just force themselves to eat. Riku had tried in the beginning, but it only resulted in him making himself sick. Tenn was just the same, anything richer than a bit of broth or bread or tea had them running to the closest bathroom. It had gotten to the point that just the thought of the decadent food they served in the palace had both boys going green with nausea. However, they would grin and bare it for the sake of the only Alpha who had shown them any sense of courtesy. 

 

In almost no time at all the maid returned with two others, each ladened with a lunch spread fit for a king. Everything looked absolutely delectable and yet the sight of it all made Riku’s stomach churn. He wanted nothing more than to stuff his face until there was nothing left, but he knew that the second he took a single bite he would regret it. Watching Lord Yaotome eat while both he and his brother could not would be something akin to torture, but Riku would endure it. He wanted this man to like them. For the first time, Riku wanted an Alpha to try and court them. 

 

He distantly heard the Marquis say something about how good the food looked, but Riku was too focused on keeping his swirling stomach calm to really understand him. Tenn responded when the Alpha thanked them, but his big brother’s voice sounded quiet and broken, so different from his usual calm composure. How could something that looked so wonderful fill them with so much pain? Riku wanted so desperately to be able to enjoy the magnificent feasts presented to them, filled with sweets he could have only dreamed of eating before coming to the palace. Wasn’t being an Omega punishment enough?! Why must they suffer like this as well?! 

 

Riku was left a moment of silence to wallow in his misery, but it didn’t last long. Suddenly the light and fragrant Alpha scent that had been subtly drifting around them turned sharp and dangerous. Both Omega’s heads shot up in fear at the change, sure they were about to be attacked by the man they had invited to their table, only to find Gaku Yaotome glaring dangerously at their minder. In a rage, teeth bared, he ground out one deadly sentence.

 

"Excuse me," He rumbled, voice sharp as a blade, "I'm afraid we have a problem."

 

The Beta maid flinched back, wide eyes locked with Gaku’s vicious scowl. She froze for a moment, expression awash in shock, before her pale face flushed an offended red. 

 

"What’s the matter, Yaotome-san?" Tenn asked nervously, trying to divert the Alpha’s attention away from the maid,  "I can assure you that this food is the best money can buy."

 

“What could possibly be wrong with it?” Riku mumbled to himself, forlornly looking over the meal on the table with yearning, "It all looks really tasty...."

"I'm sure it is," Gaku said evenly, still not taking his eyes off the twins’ furious caregiver, "But I'm also sure that your bodies aren’t able to tolerate it as you are now. Is this what they've been feeding you? There's no way your stomachs can handle such rich food so soon after your presentation, especially if you’re being stressed out from so many forced meetings with Alphas."

 

All the color drained out of the maid’s face as Gaku’s statement washed over her. 

 

“N-no, no that’s not right,” She stuttered out, shaking her head vehemently and looking imploringly at the twin Omegas, “I swear, Your Graces, that it’s not true. Your medical team assured us that you are well past the stage where you should be fine to return to normal eating habits.”

 

“Yes, normal eating habits,” Gaku said narrowing his eyes in accusation at the maid, Alpha pheromones spiking threateningly, “They should have been fine to start slowly returning to their regular diets a few days after presenting. But this isn’t their regular diet is it? Were you all so quick to try and wipe away their background that you forgot that commoners don’t eat like this? They got, what, three days of broth and bread before you started forcing feasts on them? All this rich food for uppity rich people must be hell on their sensitive stomachs. They’ve had no time to adjust to this type of meal, it’s no wonder they look so sick!”

 

“.....So that’s the reason?” Tenn asked in a small voice,  “That’s why we can’t eat, even though we’re starving? Our appetites are too plebeian for Noble Omegas?”

 

“So...it’s our fault?” Riku practically whispered, self-loathing settling like a stone in his gut. 

 

“No!” Gaku insisted, voice carrying over the maid’s horrified gasp, “No, Nanase-san, this is in no way your fault. The people charged with your care should have anticipated your dietary needs as they have with every other Omega under the King’s care.”

 

“He speaks the truth, Your Graces,” Their minder agreed, she and her two counterparts all dropping into low bows before them, “We here in the Palace were all so ready to spoil you like proper highborn courting Omegas, that we didn’t stop to think about what your bodies actually needed. We, your carers, are the only ones to blame for this horrendous oversight, and I personally offer my utmost apology. It was never our desire to cause you pain and I will do everything I can to rectify the situation.”

 

“Thank you, Miss,” Tenn said, voice still a little strained, “You don’t need to bow to us. We aren’t angry, we just want some food we can actually eat.”

 

“Of course, Your Grace,” The maid said, nodding earnestly at Tenn, “You can have whatever you wish!”

 

“That’s great and all,” Riku mumbled, worrying his lower lip with his teeth, “But we have no idea what won’t upset our stomachs…”

 

“Your Graces,” Gaku said gently, Alpha pheromones settling down into a soft soothing scent that had Riku listing sleepily into Tenn’s side, “If I may be so bold? I believe I may know of a meal your stomachs will be able to handle.”

 

“Is that so?” Tenn mused, wrapping an arm around Riku’s back as his face shifted once more into the carefully composed mask of a courting Omega, “Then by all means, Alpha Yaotome, order some lunch for us all.”

 

Gaku gave a small nod to Tenn, acknowledging that the elder twin had set him this task as another test. Riku could tell by the look on the Alpha’s face that the man refused to fail, and it filled him with a warmth he couldn’t quite explain. Just who was this Alpha? And why did he have such an effect on them?!

 

Gaku took a pen and paper from the pocket of his suit jacket and quickly scribbled down the food order before handing it over to the head maid. She glanced over what the Marquis had written, eyebrows creasing in concern, but she simply nodded her head to the Alpha in subdued acceptancing. She and the two other maids quickly gathered up all the dishes that would surely make the two Omega boys sick and hurried back into the kitchen. Then the three males sat and waited in a silence that was only slightly uncomfortable, in Riku’s opinion. He leaned his head on Tenn’s shoulder and closed his eyes, letting his stomach settle back into the regular hunger he had come to expect, while his brother stared the Alpha across from them down in friendly challenge. The silver haired man easily met Tenn’s pointed fuchsia gaze with his own confident smirk, obviously feeling sure of his choice of lunch. Riku hid his grin at the spike of pleasure in both of their scents. He knew his brother liked to play mind games to test people, but apparently this Alpha also enjoyed the thrill of the chase.

 

It felt like all too soon that their moment of peace was broken by the re-entrance of the maids. The three women brought with them far less food than the first time, all of it being able to fit onto only one serving cart, which they quickly unloaded onto the table before the three males. Riku sat up so he could properly look over what the strange Alpha had ordered for them. 

 

It was a very simple meal. There were two bowls of steaming soup in front of the twins, the dark broth still clear enough to show long thin noodles interspersed with tofu and greens. Each bowl was accompanied by a serving a plain white rice and a cup of simple green tea. At the center of the table a plate of sliced apples and bananas on skewers separated the Omegas from the triumphantly grinning Alpha.

 

“My mother swears that the best thing for the ailing tummy of a new Omega is soba soup,” Gaku said, picking up his own bowl and chopsticks in example, “This recipe in particular is bland enough to not upset your stomachs while still being filling. The warm tea will soothe away any additional belly aches from eating after so long of going without food. The fruit is gentle on digestion, and I wanted you to have at least a little something sweet after seeing the way the younger Nanase-san was looking at those desserts. Please, sate your hunger, honorable Omegas. I can’t bear to see you suffer any longer.”

 

Riku blushed crimson, both at the mention of his sweet tooth as well as the reverent title Lord Yaotome had used for them. No one outside of the Royal Family had shown the twins so much kindness since they had been brought into the fold of the Palace. The gentle consideration for their comfort and well being that this stranger displayed for them was so far removed from the possessive want, the hunger, directed at the two Omegas by every other Alpha that had come seeking to mate with them. Riku felt the sting of tears prickling at the back of his eyes as he wondered if this was all some sort of dream. He managed to lift his gaze to meet Lord Yaotome’s and gave him a grateful, if not a bit wobbly, smile. He felt his brother’s worried eyes on him, as well as the arm around his waist giving him a reassuring squeeze, and he took a steadying breath.

 

“Thank you for the food,” Tenn said in strained courtesy, before both boys grabbed the bowls and chopsticks in front of them and brought them to their mouths. 

 

Despite the hunger gnawing away at them, the twins were still hesitant to start eating. They’d had so many bad experiences so far, that the thought of the pattern repeating itself once more was enough to give them both pause as they lifted morsels of noodles to their mouths. With tentative bites, barely enough to taste, they began to eat. 

 

They each swallowed their first mouthfuls and waited.

 

After a few tense moments with their eyes squeezed shut in apprehension, the twins looked up at Gaku Yaotome’s charming smile in absolute shock. For the first time in weeks, their stomachs didn’t rebel at the first bite of food. They felt fine. No, more than that, they felt hungry. 

 

With nary another second of delay, the two Omegas dug into their meal with gusto. Happy sounds of appreciation hummed from their chests as they gulped down sumptuous noodles and perfectly brewed sips of tea. Gaku watched on with a fond grin, forgoing his own bowl of soup to watch the twins enjoy their much needed food. His inner Alpha was practically purring in the back of his mind, finally feeling sated in its desire to provide. Gaku felt a sense of proud accomplishment settle onto him like a warm cloak, blanketing his whole being in an aura of a purpose fulfilled. He felt whole in a way he never had before, and he couldn’t stop the beaming smile that spread from ear to ear across his face.

 

His moment of bliss was broken only by the quiet clearing of the elder Nanase’s throat.

 

"Please excuse us, Yaotome-san," Tenn said, swallowing his bite of soba and bowing his head bashfully,making Riku pause as well, "The whole point of these meetings is for us to get to know the eligible suitors seeking our hands. Our behavior is unbecoming of courting omegas--"

 

"Nonsense," Gaku hurriedly cut him off before the twins could go too far down the path of self-deprecation, "Please eat. I'm more than willing to wait for you to finish. You're both obviously starving and none of us will be comfortable continuing our little chat until you’re full and fed.”

 

Tenn looked like he very much wanted to argue, but before he could start Riku butt in.

 

"Thank you for being patient with us," Riku chirped, smiling brightly at the Alpha and slurping up another mouthful of soba noodles, "This is really tasty Yaotome-san!"

 

Gaku's heart sped up at the sight of such a lovely smile. Gods, it was like this boy smiled with the light of the sun itself. Having that dazzling smile directed at him, knowing he was the cause of such happiness in this angel of a boy, made Gaku feel like he was melting into a bubble puddle serenity. 

 

"I-I'm glad you're enjoying it Nanase-san," He managed to stutter past his ridiculously grinning lips.

 

"You can call me Riku-kun, Yaotome-san," Riku said shyly, cheeks once again tinting a fetching shade of pink, "It'll get confusing if you call us both Nanase-san."

 

"Then you'll just have to call me Gaku-san," Gaku replied with an ease he hoped sounded convincing, "To make it even."

 

"Okay...Gaku-san," Riku murmured, tentatively trying out how the name felt on his tongue before the light pink of his cheeks darkened into a beet-red blush to match the silky locks upon his head. He sheepishly ducked his face back into his bowl and busied himself with finishing his soup.

 

Tenn raised an eyebrow at his blushing younger brother. He’d watched the whole exchange from the edge of his own bowl and had apparently made a decision as a result of it. Gaku felt a shiver run down his spine as the pink-haired Omega turned his feline critical eyes on the Alpha. 

 

"So,  _ Gaku-san, _ " He asked, rolling Gaku’s name around like he was trying to get a taste for it and primly crossing one leg over the other and taking a sip of his tea, "What makes you think you’re qualified to be our Alpha? What makes you so much better than all the others who've presented themselves before us?"

 

The warmth that had filled Gaku ever since the twins had started eating instantly turned to ice in his veins.

 

Oh dear. He….hadn’t planned this far ahead. He had been running so heavily on instinct this whole time, he had forgotten that the only reason he’d signed up to this meeting today was to make sure the boys ate something. But as far as they knew, Gaku was an eligible Alpha coming to try get the pair of them to be his mated Omegas. 

 

This was bad.

 

The twins looked at him with matching sets of guarded but hopeful eyes, their lunches finished and bowls placed to the side, and Gaku found himself grasping desperately for something to say.

 

“Go on, Honorable Lord Yaotome,” Tenn said, voice lilting with an impish grin, “Impress us.”

 

Gaku felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle with unease. He couldn’t just tell them the truth could he? But he also couldn’t lie! They’d be able to smell it in his scent!

 

“It’s okay, Gaku-san,” Riku whispered encouragingly, “Don’t stress over it. Why don’t you start with why you think you’d be a good Alpha for us?”

 

Gaku felt a pit settle into his gut as understanding washed over him. He looked into two sets of expectant eyes, suddenly so open, waiting for him to speak. There was no way he could even begin to consider lying to these boys. They’d been through so much already. It wouldn’t be right of him. So he set his shoulders and got ready to accept his fate. 

 

If they hated him afterwards then so be it.

 

More than anything, the Nanase twins deserved the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever! I took a month off and now I'm behind on everything. Sorry about 2 cliff hangers in a row, it's because of who I am as a person! ;P

**Author's Note:**

> Just what I needed, another WIP! I know I should really work on stuff I've already started but I just have so many IDEAS!!! Please let me know what you think of this! I would love to continue it!


End file.
